As a support person, take a breath and remind yourself that you need to stay centred. You’ve got this, but you need to project calm and empathy.

Only speak when necessary and keep language simple, short, direct and positive. This is not the time to be pointing out what the person is doing wrong, or ‘over-talking’ in the attempt to create distraction.

Keep your voice low when you speak, especially if you’re addressing the person experiencing meltdown – high pitched sounds or a raised voice may only escalate the situation and make it harder for them to work through.

Remove loud noises, turn off bright lights, or darken the space if you can.

If other people are around, clear them from the space if possible or, alternatively, help the person move to somewhere away from people. Protect everyone’s dignity and safety always.

If the meltdown behaviour is aggressive, remind yourself that the person is not choosing to do this to be naughty – their body is simply out of control. So give space.

Avoid crowding in, circling or supervising from close proximity – this may likely escalate the situation. Think about when you’re feeling horrible yourself – do you really want people pushing their way into your space or following you around? Supervision can still be provided safely from a distance and without ‘fronting on’ to a person.

Avoid making announcements to other people in the area about ‘lock down’ or using codes that will trigger panic or gossip afterwards. Remember, protect people’s dignity always – especially the person experiencing the meltdown. If you need people to stay away from an area where a meltdown is happening, find a low-key way to let people know.

Support recovery and affirm safety. This may involve providing quiet time, water to drink, or even a rest or nap. Meltdowns are a lot for a body to process and the person will need time and rest to recover.

And above all, take a look at our Understanding and Supporting Behaviour workshop presentation kit – filled with heaps of great content, information and strategies to prevent meltdowns from happening in the first place!

When you know what might trigger a meltdown, you’ll be better able to avoid one altogether.

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